Posting from Jen Farrow:
Chapter 9 in our Media Sport text focuses on the sports hero and how media generates celebrity-hood. Television ads, specifically, have used athletes and all that they exemplify to draw attention to and desire for the product being advertised. This advertising mechanism is smart and successful because of how athletes are viewed in our society- as superior figures of physical and mental strength who exemplify significant achievement. But, it is easy for a professional athlete to reach celebrity status, they’ve reached the public eye, and as we’ve discussed in class, sports are extremely dominant in our media. However, there is more to being a so-called “sports hero” than just publicity for playing a professional sport.
Wenner looks at heroism as a cultural phenomenon that has been around since ancient times, when people were considered heroic for significant nobility, bravery, and strength. Wenner then goes on to suggest that modern-day heroes accomplish less significant achievements in relation to life, yet they are constructed by media and society. Think about it: the figures in our society, specifically athletes, are far removed from our day-to-day lives, and according to Wenner, “without communication, there would be no hero.” (135) Our main source of gathering images and information about these figures is provided by the media, therefore they construct our perception of these athletes.
The main difference between a celebrity athlete and a heroic athlete is that celebrities are known by name, image, or a trademark. Heroes are usually known for more than that. Heroes are recognized and celebrated for their outstanding achievements and excellence, and also for demonstrating morality and the kind of social responsibility that is valued in our culture. The chapter offers a description of the modern sports hero that I liked a lot: “Modern sports heroes have outstanding physical abilities, sustain excellence yea after year, overcome adversities, and display individual flair or charisma.” (Smith, Wenner 138) This ESPN article provides a good list of athletes and their attributes that have come to be considered heroic. (http://espn.go.com/page2/s/list/heroes.html) The chapter provides more modern examples of heroic athletes like Nolan Ryan and Joe Montana who exemplify masculinity, athleticism, success, work ethic, and a wholesome All-American image. My first question for you all is this: what athlete(s) in our society do you think posses these qualities and can be considered a heroic athlete? When answering that question, consider this; a common misconception is that heroic athletes are the most decorated athletes in their sport. In reality, many of these very talented athletes embody only celebrity status, and a lot of them get as much negative publicity off the field as they do publicity for their achievements on the field. Heroes are supposed to be culturally ideal figures that represent social responsibility. Now comes the question of cultural and social ideality and if those ideals change with time. Do you think the qualities of a modern heroic athlete are different than the qualities of Babe Ruth, Vince Lombardi, or Muhammad Ali?
The chapter goes on to talk about these heroic athletes and how the media uses them to advertise on television. Of course, the example that comes to mind and is used in the chapter is “Michael Jordan: Hero as Commodity.” His overall persona as a decorated basketball star, hard-working athlete, and devoted family-man with attractive physique earned him many marketing campaigns for the NBA, Nike, Wheaties, Haynes, Coca-Cola, Gatorade, Chevrolet, and McDonald’s. With these ads came the whole “be like Mike” slogan that outright suggested that viewers strive to be more like this heroic athlete figure. In today’s media, I’d have to say that the modern counterpart for old MJ commercials would have to be either Tiger Woods or Peyton Manning. We don’t know much about these people off the field until the media throws them at us on TV, specifically in advertisements, that suggest we be like these athletes and buy their product. Whether or not these athletes even use their product seems questionable. I wonder if there is even a Master Card in Manning’s wallet. He is clearly an exceptional quarterback who has a wholesome, southern-raised image about him; however he doesn’t really have that manly attractive physique. Do you consider Manning a modern sports celebrity icon, or a modern sports hero? Do advertising companies actually go for heroic figures to sell their product, or just the big names and faces? Here are some of Manning’s commercials that I’m sure you’ve all seen, but are always enjoyable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl8cKN-RxXc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G0loI0Jn5M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8kMrLx6_aQ
And to close, I want to ask about your thoughts on the social responsibility of athletes as they are portrayed in our society through many media outlets. Obviously you have your Michael Vicks, who are just outstanding screw ups, but how serious do most of these athletes take their position in the spotlight as role models for so many young athletes, and is it fair to expect social responsibility from them? What are some examples of athletes who do go out of their way to promote social responsibility these days?
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7 comments:
As far as who I’d pick for this generations sports hero, I’m going to have to go with Brett Farve. I mean, I’ve watched this guy play as long as I can remember and I’ve seen him fight through injuries and snow and whatever else life throws at him all for the sake of his team. I think that the qualities Farve displays, along with the fact that he seems like a humble guy make him my candidate to be one of today’s sports heroes.
I don’t know if I would so much call Peyton Manning a sports hero just yet. Yeah, hes marketable, and yes he’s all over television, but I wouldn’t equate him to Michael Jordan. I mean, the fact is, he’s a good QB, he’s got a recognizable face thanks to the fact that Indianapolis gets a lot of media attention, so I’m sure he gets endorsement offers all the time and that’s why we see at least 10 different Manning commercials every Sunday during football season.
I think that athletes need to understand that thanks to instant media their actions are being scrutinized closer than ever before. A kid in the middle of nowhere 40 years ago listening to a baseball game wouldn’t have a clue whether or not his favorite player was on drugs, now kids have access to the internet and they can read all about Marion Jones and Barry Bonds and the speculation that surrounds them. I think that athletes need to realize that they have the greatest social responsibility because they represent a dream for a lot of kids and lets face it, kids are impressionable.
I must say this is an interesting topic to comment on. It’s fairly difficult for me to define a present-day athlete as “heroic” when all I really consider any of them to be are celebrities. Perhaps this is because of the constant flaunting of endorsements…or maybe it’s just because as of late, most athletes that are making the headlines are doing it negatively. Certainly we’re not going to idolize or commend these athletes for anything but their performance on the field, when their biggest achievement otherwise is fathering an illegitimate child or brutally assaulting animals.
Now, in regards to whether or not I believe that the modern heroic athlete possesses the same qualities as legendary athletes, I believe they should. This does not by any means signify that that do in fact do that. As I stated, I can’t even come up with one off the top of my head to commend in such a manner. It’s too challenging to find a stand-up citizen who also makes a name for themselves in the sports industry, and can continue to uphold their reputation. I agree that Michael Jordan is probably the closest thing our generation has to a Babe Ruth. His athletic ability and healthy image does appeal to the public, even years after his career peaked…and in spite of his attempt to play baseball.
I definitely think some people look at Sports Figures as “heroic”, especially younger children. Children know and look up to these sports hero’s because they always see them on commercials or have their own sneaker. I do think that many of these stunts are for publicity and definitely endorsements. People look up to these athletes and look forward to buying their merchandise and seeing them perform on the field. Lately some sports figures have been in the news for some not so great things. I think that many of these sports figures cannot be called “heroic” at all but I also do not think we should forget about those figures who have been recognized for the many fabulous things they bring to society. Many sports figures these days visit sick children and help families in need. These sports figures we can call heroic. I think it is difficult to pick a sports figure that is just as great as the legendary hero’s because they are so new, and have so much more time to prove to us that they are heroes. I do have to say however that Michael Jordan and Brett Farve are two great examples of a sport legend. Both have had amazing careers and are still in the spotlight today, whether it is on the field or off the field. These two men in my eyes are the closest they come to Babe Ruth or any other sports legends. I do think however it is hard to compare because the legends were the first of many things and lived in a different world than we are today. I find it hard to believe that there will be another man quite like Babe Ruth.
For Jen’s first question about who is a heroic athlete of our time, I honestly cannot think of someone that is at the league of Muhammad Ali and Jackie Robinson that is a heroic athlete today. I think that sports has done a complete 180 and the values and ethics that made that list of men (and Billie Jean King because they needed a woman) so admirable, in today’s society holds no significance. I was going to say Brett Favre because year after year he competes and is always one of the best but I absolutely cannot hold Brett Favre and Johnny Unitas on the same pedestal. I also think that someone who is an ideal candidate for the second part of that description is Tom Brady. Don’t get me wrong I am a huge New England fan, but I think that Tom Brady is celebrated as a celebrity because he is good looking, he models, and he knows how to win. I think he sets a terrible example for not only children but for human beings by leaving his prego girlfriend for a hot supermodel. As for Peyton Manning, no one wants to see someone’s ugly mug that much. I think he is a sell out and it’s beyond the point of annoyance.
I have to agree with a lot of what Nikki said. Many athletes are viewed more as celebrities now then heroes and role models. Anna Kournikova for example is a tennis celebrity. Other female tennis players have actually won championships but because Kournikova has looks and endorsements she has become a well-known tennis star. However, I do believe that there are still sports heroes out there. Young children playing sports defiantly push themselves to play sports because they want to be the next Derek Jeter. There are many athletes out there who have a clean image because they know that the youth of America idolizes them. I feel there are those athletes out there who deserve the title of hero. I cannot get Michael Jordan out of my mind in talking about this. So I have to agree with Justine. He went from basketball and even baseball (which I will not judge him about) and maintained a good public image throughout. The legends will never fade such as Babe Ruth but for an athlete today to try and even come close to the legends of Babe Ruth, they must have a certain charisma on top of their talent.
To me, a sports hero is someone who makes me smile. Derek Jeter (you knew I was gonna go Yankees on this), epitomizes that. When he's answering questions, otherwise dealing with the press, or playing on the field. Athletes like Jeter, Favre, Elway, they do incredible things. They engineer late game comebacks, they make incredible things happen. That, to me, is a hero.
Personally, I feel there should be a limit on the number of commercials Peyton Manning can do!!!!!! I do think that there is an adverse effect of using a sports figure that is not a universal hero outside of his popular market. For example, Peyton manning commercials may very well annoy a lot of N.E. fans. This also ties in to overexposure. Payton Manning has been so overused and overexposed that many people tune out or change the channel when one of his many commercials comes on television.
Switching gears, there has definitely been a change in social values in relationship to today's sports heroes. Lombardi's “mantra” was: what is important in life is Family, God, Country, and then the team. Although today's society still admires the patriotic family man, our country has overwhelming numbers of fatherless families; divorce is a common occurrence; casual sex is widely portrayed across television and movie screens. Consequently, the standards for society's heroes have changed. Tom Brady started out as a backup QB who was perpetually fighting for permanent starting position throughout college and then ended up as backup for Bledsoe. When Bledsoe got injured Brady's life changed. He led the Pats to their 1st Super Bowl win and was idolized for his overcoming obstacles and his clean-cut, All-American style. His hard work ethic and success combined with amazing good looks made him the perfect sports hero (at least in my eyes). In the past year, however, he ended his relationship with long time girlfriend Bridget Moynahan. As we all know, Moynahan has become a single mother, after giving birth to Tom’s son. His heroic image, based on his wholesome and family oriented persona, definitely became altered. However, he still represents the All-American athlete.
Society also has a high regard for community service and charitable work. The Boston Red Sox do an extraordinary amount of charity beginning with their support of the Jimmy Fund, a fund for cancer research. The basis of the Red Sox charitable efforts is the Red Sox Foundation. This sublet of the organization constantly holds events to raise money for several charitable organizations. They have various auctions throughout the season, in addition to planning trips for Red Sox players to visit local hospitals. These charitable events create a sense of heroism among the players and also the organization.
Corporate sponsorship with sports companies is definitely another effect way to advertise while bringing players and organizations into the limelight. There are multiple companies who have sponsorships with the Red Sox. Dunkin Donuts for one, has “Dunkin Dugout” where they give Red Sox tickets to disadvantaged children. Another interesting sponsor is Jordan’s Furniture. In the beginning of the 2007 baseball season, Jordan’s furniture created a promotion deal where if the Red Sox won the 2007 world series, anyone who bought furniture within a certain date would receive 100% refund on their purchase(s). As the sports industry continues to grow, it is clear that by affiliating with sports teams, or using individual players to promote a good/service, a company will gain positive audience feedback. At the same time the team/players involved will appear heroic.
(P.S. I don’t mean to sound so bias but I just know the most about New England sports so its easy for me to use them as examples. :o) )
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